The 2017-18 winter featured a slow start for much of the West, the introduction of Alterra Mountain Company and the Ikon Pass, the addition of Telluride, Crested Butte, and others to the Epic Pass, and a "Miracle March" for the resorts of Tahoe. Here's a look back at the top headlines from the 2017-18 season.

La Niña

Typical La Niña patterns during the winter include above-average precipitation and colder-than-average temperatures along the northern tier of the U.S. and below-normal precipitation and drier conditions across the South. NOAA’s 2017-18 Winter Outlook anticipated that a weak La Niña was likely to develop.

OpenSnow Trip Reports

We visited eight mountains across the western United States & Canada and wrote about our experiences below.

The newly formed Alterra Mountain Company introduced its 2018-19 pass product. The Ikon Pass will provide access to 26 destinations. The Ikon Base Pass will provide unlimited access to 10 destinations for $599, while the Ikon Pass will provide unlimited access to 12 destinations for $899.

The Epic Pass continued to dominate the headlines with the addition of resorts in the United States, Canada, and Japan. In celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Epic Pass, Vail Resorts will honor the service of the Company's founders from the 10th Mountain Division with the introduction of a $99 Military Epic Pass for active and retired military and their dependents.

Alterra Mountain Company announced plans to invest $555 Million over the next 5 years across 12 mountain destinations, including $130 Million for the 2018-19 season.

Tahoe's "Miracle March"

A parade of storms targeted California throughout the month of March, with totals of 12-19 feet on the mountains surrounding the Tahoe region. Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado also benefited but Tahoe will always remember 2017-18 as the season of "Miracle March".

Thank you so much for following OpenSnow this season, have a great summer, and we'll see you right back here for the 2018-19 season!

SAM COLLENTINE

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Sam grew up in Colorado and spent time as a Weather Intern at Channel 7 News in Denver and at the National Weather Service in Boulder. He now forecasts snow for OpenSnow, directs the behind-the-scenes operations of the company, and enjoys plenty of powder days.